1 . The Price of a Dream

I grew up poor. We had little money, but plenty of love and attention. I understood that no matter how poor a person was, they could still afford a dream. My dream was athletics.

By the time I was sixteen, I was good at baseball and football. My high school coach was Ollie Jarvis. He not only believed in me, but taught me the difference between having a dream and showing conviction (信念).

One summer a friend recommended me for a summer job. This meant a chance for money in my pocket — cash for dates with girls, certainly, money for a new bike and new clothes, and the start of savings for a house for my mother.

Then I realized I would have to give up summer baseball to handle the work schedule, and that meant I would have to tell Coach Jarvis I wouldn’t be playing. I was afraid of this, but my mother said, “If you make your bed, you have to lie in it.” 

When I told Coach Jarvis, he was as mad as I expected him to be. “Your playing days are limited. You can’t afford to waste them,” he said.

I stood before him with my head hanging, trying to think of the words that would explain to him why I dream of buying my mom a house.

“How much are you going to make at this job, son?” he demanded.

“Three point twenty-five an hour,” I replied.

“Well,” he asked, “is $3. 25 an hour the price of a dream?”

That question exposed the difference between wanting something right now and having a goal. I devoted myself to sports that summer, and within the year I was drafted by the Pittsburgh Pirates to play rookie-league ball, and offered a $20, 000 contract. I signed with the Denver Broncos in 1984 for $1.7 million, and bought my mother my dream house.

1. Why was the writer grateful to Coach Jarvis?

A．Because Coach Jarvis made him set a goal.

B．Because Coach Jarvis supplied him with new clothes.

C．Because Coach Jarvis gave him financial support.

D．Because Coach Jarvis helped him show conviction.

2. What did the writer want to do when he was offered a job?

A．Balance summer baseball and the work schedule.

B．Refuse the job offer for summer baseball.

C．Give up summer baseball for the job.

D．Ask his coach Jarvis for advice.

3. Which of the following can replace the underlined part “If you make your bed, you have to lie in it.” in paragraph 4?

A．You must eat the bitter fruit of your own making.

B．Believe in yourself, but above all be patient.

C．You must rely on yourself first, then others.

D．A good beginning makes a good ending.

4. What did the writer do at the end of the story?

A．He failed to buy his mother a house.

B．He succeeded as a sportsman.

C．He became a successful businessman.

D．He made some money in the summer job.

2 . With the cold weather drawing nearer, few people will choose swimming as a daily or usual activity.     1     Here come the reasons.

Good for your brain.

Swimming is one of the best activities you can do all year round, which benefits your body and your mind. Swimming has been found to increase blood flow to the brain, which leads to more oxygen.     2    

Work your muscles.

Every time you swim, it is like doing a mini-resistance workout. Each kicks and pull works your muscles more than you could imagine, especially your arms, shoulders and gluteus — the muscles that are inactive all day when you’re sitting at your desk.     3     So along with building fitness, it is a wonderful full body exercise.

Lift your spirits.

    4     They can cause a positive feeling into your body which makes you happy. Swimming has been shown to reduce stress and tension. The repetition, movement and the breathing can help you to relax , and that’s why swimming is also regarded as a relaxing exercise.

    5    

While swimming is an individual sport, it is also very social. You can meet people from all walks of life when swimming. Have a chat in the lap pool, join a swimming club or get involved in social water sports to get to know people in your community. Besides, the great thing about swimming is that you can do it — rain or shine. Although your backyard pool, the river or beach cools down over winter, most inside swimming pools run heated pools year round, so you’ve got no excuse to stop swimming.

A．Benefit your body.

B．Meet new people.

C．These chemicals can control your thought and action.

D．Swimming also works your abs (腹肌) and will reduce your waist line.

E．Exercise gives off chemicals in your body called endorphins (内啡肽).

F．And that means you’re experiencing better memory and sharp mind.

G．However, swimming in winter is of great benefit in cold days.

3 . I come from a family that loves sports. My father coaches Little League baseball. My mother swims nearly every weekend. My brother is on his high-school basketball team, and I am the best hitter on my middle-school volleyball team. All of us have benefited(受益）from sports. One of the most common ways for kids to take part in sports is to join a team. Joining a sports team should be a school requirement.

Playing sports is good for both the body and mind. Everyone knows that exercise helps people stay fit. For example, swimming helps your heart work better and it also helps build muscle strength(肌肉力量）. In addition, school athletes(运动员） often have a healthy diet. I eat a lot of fruit and vegetables and avoid fatty foods because I must stay in great condition.

Being on a team allows students to enjoy a healthier social life. They often make more friends and can be some of the most popular kids in school. Since joining the basketball team, my brother has made friends with a lot of his tea mates and has showed more interest in spending time with them.

Kids who take part in school teams sometimes earn college scholarships(奖学金）. My brother's friend, Justin, played football in high school. His family did not have money to send him to college. However, a college invited him to play on its team. The college is paying for him to go to school. Joining a team turned out to be one of the best decisions he had ever made. Now he studies at a great college and plays on its football team Not every school athlete gets a college scholarship, but joining a school team-makes it possible.

Although some people may not like the idea of forcing students to join a school team, its many benefits such as keeping kids heal thy, new friendships, and possible scholarships cannot be denied(否认）.

1. What does the author mainly tell us in Paragraph 2?

A．Joining a school team has health benefits.

B．Students should spend more time exercising.

C．Swimming is an excellent sport for students.

D．School athletes must try to eat a healthy diet.

2. How did the author's brother change after joining the team?

A．He had a busier life.	B．He got more chances.
C．He worked much harder.	D．He became more sociable.

3. What can we infer about Justin?

A．He is a good football player.	B．He will be given a scholarship.
C．He is managing a school team.	D．He comes from a wealthy family.

4. What is the author's attitude to making students join school teams?

A．He doubts it.	B．He is in support of it.
C．He is worried about it.	D．He pays little attention to it.

4 . 听下面一段较长对话，回答以下小题。
1. Where did the man use to play tennis?

A．In a club.

B．In a stadium.

C．In the playground.

2. What are the speakers going to do?

A．Go back home.

B．Have a break.

C．Play tennis.

7 . Chinese kung fu is one of the earliest and longest­lasting sports that use both muscle and brain. Over its long history it has developed as a unique combination of exercise, practical self­defense, self­discipline and art.

It is estimated that Chinese kung fu can date back to primitive society. At that time, people used sticks to fight wild beasts. Gradually, they accumulated a great deal of self­defense experience.When the Shang Dynasty began, hunting was considered an important part of kung fu training.

During the Shang and Zhou Dynasties, martial arts(武术) evolved to become a kind of dancing. Usually, the dancing of martial arts was used to train soldiers and inspire their morale(士气). At the same time, the skill and technology of sword making as well as sword ceremonies developed rapidly.

Starting from the Tang Dynasty, a kung fu examination was proposed and introduced. Excellent candidates would receive titles and awards through the examination, largely promoting the development of martial arts. By then, martial arts had evolved to become an art form and an independent genre. Kung fu was gradually introduced to many countries in Southeast Asia. Today, kung fu is honored as the ancestor of kickboxing(跆拳道)，karate(空手道) and judo.

The Song and Yuan Dynasties witnessed the climax of kung fu development. The practice of kung fu by civil organizations became more and more popular. People actually made a living as martial arts performers all over the country. Usually their performance was carried out by a single person or two people as a pair.

Chinese kung fu achieved greater development in the Ming and Qing Dynasties. In the Ming Dynasty, a lot of genres came into being and numerous books on martial arts were published. In the Qing Dynasty, the ruling emperor banned the practice of martial arts, and the people had to set up various clubs or societies to pass on the skills in secret.

Today, kung fu continues to be practiced by many people for the purpose of keeping fit or improving body image.

1. According to the text，________was an important part of the development of kung fu in ancient times.

A．hunting.	B．dancing.
C．singing.	D．fighting.

2. During the Shang and Zhou Dynasties，kung fu was used to ________.

A．promote the national economy.

B．keep healthy and improve body image.

C．train soldiers and inspire their morale.

D．fight big wild animals.

3. What can we learn from the text?

A．The production of swords reached the highest point during the Tang Dynasty.

B．Kung fu was performed by many people during the Song and Yuan Dynasties.

C．Kung fu had a great impact on many activities in Southeast Asia.

D．The Tang Dynasty witnessed the climax of kung fu development.

4. How did kung fu evolve in the Ming Dynasty?

A．The emperor set up many organizations to promote kung fu.

B．Various genres appeared and books were published about kung fu.

C．Kung fu became the only performance at court parties.

D．People made a living as kung fu performers all over the country.

8 . More and more Chinese are jogging to stay healthy.Most joggers will run alone, but some will jog with friends or even coaches.The Beijing Olympic Forest Park is one of the most popular spots.    1    

Jogging after a whole day’s work can be a way to relax people.It is true for He Wenjun, whose workplace is right near the Beijing Olympic Forest Park.She discovered her athletic talent at the age of seven, when she began playing tennis.Then she turned to jogging, and she has kept it for 10 years.

“I come to jog almost every day after work, whenever I have time.    2     And for me, a girl, it helps me to keep slim,” she said.

She says she prefers jogging alone, so she can focus better. She loves jogging, even during Beijing’s smoggy days.“If the smog is severe, I’ll hold off for a while.But if I really want to get away from work, I’ll wear a mask and go on jogging,” she said.

    3     Wu Houbin started two years ago, when he was overweight. Within two months, his weight dropped from 82 kilograms to 64 kilograms.The success helped him recover health, and he has made friends.

Jogging does not require speed.If you want to stick to the game, you need to take it as a habit, and then eventually a hobby.    4    

Jogging is beneficial for heart­lung function, but improper technique damages your knees and ankles. And, jogging in a bad environment can cause some serious problems.So you should first consider your physical condition.    5     It is advised to jog three or four times a week, and 30 to 60 minutes each time.The best time to jog is around 4 p.m.—5 p.m.

A．Jogging is good for my health.

B．But keeping jogging is not always easy.

C．Jogging helps people be liked by their friends.

D．And then decide the amount and type of exercise.

E．Nothing can stop me jogging even in the terrible weather.

F．For those who are not so athletic, jogging also has its attractions.

G．It is filled with runners in the afternoon, usually after work and at weekends.

9 . 听下面一段较长对话，回答以下小题。
1. Who are the speakers?

A．A doctor and a patient.

B．A teacher and a student.

C．A salesman and a customer.

2. What is probably the cause of the man’s problems?

A．He often overeats.

B．He works too hard.

C．He smokes heavily.

3. What does the woman ask the man to do?

A．Stop working and go on a vacation.

B．Give up smoking as soon as possible.

C．Change his diet and get some exercise.

10 . I have been playing basketball since I've been in the 6th grade. I first started out in the summer before 6th grade when I played for the Park District Traveling Basketball Team. This is where I first learned how to play basketball and found out I wasn't very good at it. This is the main reason why I liked football more than basketball, because I was naturally good at football and didn't have to work as hard. But I was always encouraged to never give up, I kept at it and kept working on my basketball skill so I could be good enough to play for my high school basketball team. I played for my high school basketball team during high school.

During those years in high school, I really began to practice hard on improving my basketball skills. My main goal was to get an athletics scholarship to college and get a free education. I indeed achieved this goal and was awarded a two year basketball scholarship at Parkland Junior College. There in my two years I was truly better than I was when I first started out playing basketball, which I know was because of the hard work I put into improving my skills all throughout my life.

After having two good seasons at Parkland on and off the playground I graduated. The final step I had in mind was to come to Northern Illinois University and make the basketball team. Many doubted me and said I wasn't good enough to make the team, but instead of listening to them, giving up or stopping working hard like I've been doing all my life, I worked the hardest. I've worked over the summer. And all the hard work paid off and I am now a member of the Northern Illinois University Basketball Team.

1. Why did the author prefer football to basketball?

A．His physical condition decided it.	B．He was more skilled at football.
C．He was encouraged to like football.	D．He has been playing football for a long time.

2. For what purpose did the author spend so much time practising basketball in high school?

A．To be the team leader.	B．To go to a good college.
C．To pay no school fees in college.	D．To prove he was good at basketball.

3. What does the underlined expression in paragraph 3 mean?

A．Be ignored.

B．Be employed.

C．Be useless.

D．Be rewarded.

4. What does the story tell us?

A．Practice makes perfect.	B．Time is money.
C．It's never too old to learn.	D．Failure is the mother of success.